Over the past few months, the Chinese Ministry of Culture has identified 185 sites that infringe on copyrights, adding that the sites violate regulations and do not have licenses to distribute music.
Since April, 23 of those sites have shut down, and the Ministry is still actively investigating the others.
The IFPI (International Federation of the Phonographic Industry) has applauded the recent actions:
“It is good news that the authorities are taking action against some infringing websites, but there are many more illegal music services that continue to operate with impunity,” says Leong Mayseey, IFPI regional director for Asia, (via Billboard).
“Only 23 of the original 185 websites identified by the Ministry of Culture have been taken down and it is not clear what penalties, if any, their operators face. If China wants its creative sector to punch its weight globally, it must do more to create a widespread climate of respect for intellectual property.”
Continuing, the director says: “We hope to see the authorities following this welcome development with further action against services that illegally build their businesses by abusing other people’s rights.”
Result for: copyrights
While Apple’s battles against iPhone hackers and modders have been well publicized, things have been much quieter on the Android side up until now. Even as hackers found ways to gain root access in devices and port otherwise-unavailable new builds of Android, Google and its hardware partners HTC, Motorola and Samsung, have kept quiet.
Now a website run by Android hacker Conflipper is in HTC’s sights. The website, Shipped ROMs, provides ROM dumps of released and unreleased Android devices. HTC has fired off cease and desist letters to the site, alleging that its intellectual property was “illegally obtained by fraudulent means.”
HTC even released a statement on the issue to clarify its problem with Shipped ROMs. “While HTC tries to take a hands off [approach] about the modder / ROM chef community, this site’s sole purpose [is] to make HTC’s content available for download from a source other than HTC,” HTC’s statement reads.
“That content is not just the open source parts and kernels of Android but all of the software that HTC itself has developed. This is a clear violation of our copyrights and HTC needs to defend itself in these cases.”
Result for: copyrights
James Murdoch, chairman and CEO of News Corps. European and Asian operations has made some interesting comments this week in regards to piracy, calling on governments to “get tough” on illegal downloading.
“We need enforcement mechanisms and we need governments to play ball … There is no difference with going into a store and stealing Pringles or a handbag and taking this stuff. It’s a basic condition for investment and economic growth and there should be the same level of property rights whether it’s a house or a movie,” said Murdoch. “The idea that there’s a new consumer class and you have to be consumer-friendly when they’re stealing stuff. No. There should be the same level of sanctity as there is around property. Content is no different. They’re not crazy kids. No. Punish them.”
James Murdoch is the son of mogul Rupert Murdoch, the chairman and CEO of News Corp, and younger Murdoch is expected to take over the company when his father retires.
Adding to what his father has said in the past, James said News Corp. will act against “content aggregators,” including search giant Google, in order to protect its copyrights.
“We’re being very careful legally to protect our rights,” says Murdoch, via Guardian. “If there’s money getting stuck it’s getting stuck in an inefficient distribution layer … where Google and Yahoo are suddenly indexing copyright material and then selling bits of it and making money from it. You may have to withdraw access to those things. You may not.”
